ON POINT - March 2011

Innovative Design Unveiled for new NTC Performing Arts & Cinema Center

Innovative design plans to transform the historic Luce Auditorium into a new NTC Performing Arts & Cinema Center were unveiled at a Community Forum on February 8. Architect Chris Bittner and board member David O’Brien welcomed representatives from San Diego’s dance and film community, as well as Point Loma neighbors, to see how the current 1800-seat venue could become a 3-venue cinema and performance center.

The NTC Foundation has made significant advancements to determine the future for the historic Luce Auditorium. Where once Bob Hope, Tommy Dorsey, Kay Kyser and Nat King Cole entertained Navy recruits, the 1,800-seat auditorium, built in 1941, has sat dark for over 12 years, awaiting its next mission.

Already there is much demand from the dance groups at NTC Promenade, San Diego film festivals, area theatres, and the region to have a fully equipped and state-of-the-art theater and cinema center for film, performances and presentations.

What We Know
Thanks to donor support, we engaged former Old Globe managing director Tom Hall of AlbertHall Associates, to undertake a study in 2008 to provide an independent assessment of the feasibility of various proposed adaptive reuse scenarios for Luce Auditorium that constitute its best and highest use, and mitigate the sound from airplanes overhead. Read the Study results at Luce Auditorium Needs and Use Assessment Study.

• The solution: An innovative “building within a building” concept that will allow us to build a new 3-venue Performing Arts & Cinema Center that will meet the needs of cinema and performance, while retaining the historic features of the Auditorium. Click here for NTC Performing Arts & Cinema Design Concepts.

More Good News
We recently received preliminary design approval from the State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service, allowing us to move forward.  We have one final step to complete before we invest in the construction drawings.

Show Business is a Business
In Spring 2011, the NTC Foundation will once again engage our consultant Tom Hall and his team to conduct a study to Develop and Refine the Operating Model for Luce Auditorium in order to establish with some certainty its operational and financial feasibility.  This will help assure that if we “invest to build it, they will come.”

The proposed Scope of the Study would include, but not be limited to the following:

• Identify User Groups from among cinema, dance, music and performance groups.
• Determine what is needed to equip the cinemas and performance venues in order to meet the requirements of our primary User Groups.
• Identify the rental rates of similar venues in San Diego.
• Determine how much it will cost us to operate the new facility each year. (Annual Operating Expenses)
• Determine how much our User Groups pay to use the new facility and determine Potential Operating Income Rental Revenue.
• Determine if we will need to provide an annual operating subsidy.

Your Contribution Will Help Advance Our Project
The NTC Foundation is seeking $50,000 to conduct this comprehensive Operating Model Study, which we expect to complete by Summer 2011. It is a prudent investment to have important information to assure the long term viability of any newly renovated performance and cinema venue.

We ask your support with a donation to help us take this next critical step to help restoring this historic Auditorium for its new mission as a performance and cinema center for San Diego. Make your 2011 tax deductible contribution today at Luce Auditorium Campaign Fund.

Free NTC Gallery Walk on March 4

On Friday, March 4, join Walkabout International on a free guided 90-minute tour of The Galleries @ NTC Promenade. Start at 5 p.m. at the NTC Command Center with an overview of the NTC Promenade Arts and Cultural District. On the walk you will meet the gallery directors and featured artists, and enjoy beverages and appetizers as you experience San Diego’s newest Gallery District. The Command Center is at 2640 Historic Decatur Road.

Friday Night Liberty: New Gallery Exhibits & Music at Gamez on Wheelz

March comes in like a lion with a pride of great gallery and studio exhibits at our Friday Night Liberty on March 4th from 5 to 8 p.m. at NTC Promenade. Enjoy new and ongoing exhibits at eight galleries, including Wandering the Dreamfield group exhibition at the pulse gallery and the final weekend for Larry Caveney’s Party Whites in the Martha Pace Swift Gallery. Gamez on Wheelz rolls into NTC with a mobile stage for karaoke and a seven-screen entertainment system with the latest Rock Band and Guitar Hero courtesy of Recreational Music Center.  Plus….GlasClay Art demonstrations @ Bravo School of Art, Chocolate, Wine, Cocktails and great dining at Solare! A full schedule is at NTCPromenade.com.

IndieFest 7 Comes to NTC Promenade March 12 & 13

IndieFest 7 - San Diego’s all-ages festival of independent music, art, film and thought – comes to NTC Promenade with four music stages, and over 50 independent film features, documentaries and music videos on March 12 and 13. Many of the performances are free, and there is a special ticketed stage area. For schedules, maps, parking information and tickets go to www.sandiegoindiefest.com. (click image for enlarged poster)

 

 

To The Point ...

Mar 2 - 27 San Diego Watercolor Society "In The Mood"
The San Diego Watercolor Society (SDWS) proudly presents "In The Mood". Approximately 95 paintings created by national and international artists are on display and for sale. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. We warmly welcome the public to attend our First Friday reception, Mar 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. where visitors can meet the artists and members of our community. The SDWS gallery is located at 2825 Dewey Road, SD 92106. For more information call 619-876-4550 or www.sdws.org.

Mar 3 & Apr 7 NTC Historic District Walking Tour - "From Navy Base to Arts District"
See first-hand the transformation of San Diego's Naval Training Center into NTC Promenade, a new Arts and Cultural District. Enjoy a 90-minute walk through historic Spanish Colonial Revival buildings from the 1920s and 1940s that once trained young sailors for Navy service and are now home to over 40 artists, galleries, dance companies and more. First Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Meet at the NTC Command Center, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, SD 92106. For more information please visit www.NTCPromenade.com or call 619-573-9260.

Mar 4 Friday Night Liberty
Explore the NTC Promenade Arts & Cultural District and enjoy a FREE evening of art, music, food, drink and exhibits, while supporting local artists and designers. Starting at 5 p.m. Located at 2640 Historic Decatur Road, SD 92106. For more information call 619-573-9260 or visit our Friday Night Liberty page.

Mar 4 - 22 Sophie's Gallery & Gift Shop NTC presents "Petal's Edge"
Sophie's Gallery & Gift Shop NTC presents Petal's Edge / Paintings by Mona Ray. Ray is a contemporary colorist who has compassion for the natural world. Her vibrant florals, vivid still lifes and dreamy landscapes all dance with unexpected color, bold brushstrokes and lyrical lines. Reception on First Friday, Mar 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is free. Enjoy wine and hors d'oeuvres and live music. Sophie's Gallery & Gift Shop NTC is located at 2960 Historic Decatur Road, SD 92106 and is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. / Wednesday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. / Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. / Closed Monday. For further information call 619‐578‐2207 or visit www.stmsc.org.

Mar 7 – 11 San Diego Watercolor Society Workshop – Painting Figures in the Landscape - Don Andrews
Painting Figures in the Landscape: You'll learn how to: loosen up; mix your colors on the page; capture the light; organize nature; design the rectangle; utilize negative space; and paint believable figures in your landscapes. Workshop is held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Member/$525, Non-Member/$565. For more information and to register visit our website.

Mar 8-15-22-29 North Chapel Open House
The North Chapel at Liberty Station monthly open houses, Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Located at 2881 Roosevelt Dr., SD 92106. For more information please visit http://www.thenorthchapel.com.

Mar 26 Malashock Dance - The Floating World: On The Way
Contemporary forms of music, dance and image-making will draw inspiration from this aesthetic project and combine to celebrate and reveal what it takes to create a "façade of beauty" in the arts today. Join Malashock Dance for a sneak preview of The Floating World-On The Way that will showcase completed sections of the production and give insight into the creative process. A "meet the artists" reception will follow the evening's performance. Tickets for the event and additional information are available at www.malashockdance.org. Malashock Dance Studio is located at Dance Place San Diego, Studio 200, 2650 Truxtun Road San Diego, CA 92106. For more information contact Scott McDonald at 619-260-1622 or [email protected].

Be sure to check the NTC Promenade online calendar for all the happenings scheduled.

Please consider making a gift to the NTC Foundation to help us translate the community’s vision for NTC Promenade into a new Arts and Cultural District that will increase the quality of life for all San Diegans.  Donate now!

For information about lease space in the NTC Promenade, contact Leasing Specialist Sean Giffin at [email protected] or 619 573-9304.